Going into Hospice Care does not mean that you are “choosing to die”, it does not mean you will stop fighting, and it doesn’t mean that you will stop treatment all-together. Often times people go into Hospice Care with the pre-notion that there is no life left for them, since the option of going into Hospice Care requires a doctor to have made the decision that the illness will end the patient’s life within the next six months. Hospice Care is care for those who need to focus on relieving pain and suffering near the end of their life. Choosing Hospice Care, however, does not mean that you stop treatment, and if needed, the doctors in Hospice Care facilities can prescribe medicine to make your stay in Hospice as comfortable as possible.
“Hospice care is offered for two periods of 90 days, followed by an unlimited number of 60-day periods, as long as the physician recertifies that the patient is not getting better and is still terminal. A patient may leave Hospice Care if his or her condition improves, and reenter if the condition worsens” (Meyer, M. The Comfort of Home for Alzheimer’s Disease: A Guide for Caregivers).
Understanding what care is needed for end-of-life care can become challenging for some people suffering from Dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease. Talking to them about their end-of-life options can become strenuous for the caregiver. Research has found that watching videos that outline the changes in care, or the options for care types, can help a person to understand their care options more clearly. A video is a great tool for information that is needed during the planning of end-of-life care. You can search, “end of life videos” on a search engine to get corporate videos for planning end-of-life care, or you can talk to your Geriatric Care Manager for more information. A Geriatric Care Manager (GCM) can help you and your family with senior care choices and the best care options available to you or your loved one. It is important to plan ahead for end-of-life care so it is not as difficult later on.
